ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — This is the 13th year that Vance Joseph has been to an NFL training camp as a coach, but it’s the first time he has had to answer for anything and everything as a team’s head coach.

In his first season with the Denver Broncos, in a quarterback-crazed city, Joseph finds himself front and center when it comes to answering questions about a quarterback competition he opened earlier this year.

“It’s kind of what you get used to,” wide receiver Demaryius Thomas said. “People are always talking about the quarterback, it seems like. We’ve done heard it all before.”

Joseph has spent, and will continue to spend, a piece of each training-camp day answering the inevitable questions that come with any unmade quarterback decision, the questions about each throw in each drill in each practice.

As much as most everyone wants to score the quarterback derby between Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch after each workout, Joseph said Saturday that’s not how it’s going to work.

“They both made plays, and they both didn’t make plays. It’s tough to ride the roller coaster with those guys, who won the day, who didn’t win the day, I’m not going to do that,” Joseph said after Saturday’s practice. “It’s going to be a collective evaluation over the course of weeks.”

“I’ve said it plenty of times: As long as the O-line does our jobs, it doesn’t matter who’s under center,” guard Ron Leary said. “Both of them are good quarterbacks, so we know whoever takes that snap Week 1, as long as we go out there, they’ll look good.”

Every footballer on the planet has blemishes, weaknesses in their game they wish didn’t exist. But what if they didn’t? What would the ideal player look like in every position? Plucking specific traits from various superstars, theScore is diving into the lab to build the perfect footballer.

Complete series:

In the final installment of our seven-part series, we’re assembling the perfect forward: pace, power, silky skills, and ruthlessness in front of goal, this ideal attacker strikes fear into the hearts of defenders and goalkeepers alike.

Pace: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund’s 28-year-old scoring machine, coming off a 31-goal campaign, isn’t solely reliant on his pace, but being fast as lightning certainly doesn’t hurt. Aubameyang’s raw speed allows him to outrun defenders and set himself up inside the area to score an inordinate number of simple tap-ins; his speed, combined with Dortmund’s slick attack that relies heavily on cutback passes inside the area, is a match made in heaven.

Strength: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)

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Lukaku is a physical marvel. The 24-year-old Belgian striker, fresh off a massive move to Manchester United, bullies centre-backs on the regular, which, considering they’re supposed to be some of the strongest, most imposing players on the pitch, is quite the feat. At 6-foot-3, and about 220 pounds, Lukaku pairs brute strength with explosiveness that makes him one of the most daunting assignments in the game for any defender.

Shooting ability: Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

In terms of a pure No. 9, there’s nobody better than Barcelona hitman Suarez. The feisty Uruguayan has netted 139 league goals in his last five seasons; 40 of those came in 2015-16. Some of that is the product of playing alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, sure, but Suarez has carried the Barcelona attack by himself at times since moving to the Camp Nou, his pinpoint shooting accuracy, especially from tight angles, making him a threat to score from everywhere on the pitch.

Heading: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Nobody hangs in midair like Ronaldo. Real Madrid’s photogenic Portuguese has scored more headed goals (33) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues over the past five seasons. Conventional wisdom suggests footballers in general, and especially forwards, diminish with age, but as Ronaldo continues to transition to a classic No. 9, his ability to find pockets of space inside the penalty area and dominate in the air should see him fill the net for years to come.

Inventiveness: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The most magical footballer in history. There’s nothing else to say.

Penalty box instincts: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Bayern Munich’s Polish assassin hasn’t scored fewer than 17 times in any of his last six Bundesliga seasons, a run that includes consecutive campaigns where he reached the 30-goal plateau. Of his 60 league markers over the last two years, 56 have come from inside the penalty area, highlighting just how skilled Lewandowski is at exploiting space, and how ruthless he is when chances fall his way.

Work rate: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)

Arsenal’s Chilean terrier – soon to be Manchester City’s, perhaps – is a manager’s dream. Aside from being a prolific attacker who is equal parts creator and finisher, Sanchez acts as the first line of defence, hurrying and harrying opposing defenders to win possession back in dangerous areas. In an era when pressing systems are more prevalent than ever, having forwards who are willing to put in the dirty work without the ball is crucial, and Sanchez, who seems to be powered by a never-ending battery, is a prime example.

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes II faced his first true NFL training-camp moment on Saturday when the rookie quarterback went on the Kansas City Chiefs practice field for a two-minute drill. He passed the test with plenty of room to spare.

Mahomes needed just four plays — one a long pass to tight end Ross Travis that got the 75-yard drive started — to get the touchdown. He scored the touchdown himself on a run and used just 1:05 of his allotted 1:58.

They were just four plays in a long training camp, but they happened in an important game situation. That’s what stood out to the Chiefs and co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

“You want to get off [on] the right foot,” Nagy said. “[Something] that happens in these two-minute drills, when you have to go 75 yards and you need a touchdown to do it, that first play, it’s nice when you get a big chunk [to start].”

Mahomes made a veteran move on the first play of the drive by looking off the safety in the middle of the field. He then threw a dart to Travis.

“I tell everybody from his very first practice that he had when he came in and was screaming in the huddle what the play was — and didn’t realize he was talking to the defense — to where he is right now, looking off safeties, it’s a huge leap,” Nagy said.

Every footballer on the planet has blemishes, weaknesses in their game they wish didn’t exist. But what if they didn’t? What would the ideal player look like in every position? Plucking specific traits from various superstars, theScore is diving into the lab to build the perfect footballer.

Complete series:

In the sixth installment of our seven-part series, we’re assembling the perfect winger: frightening speed paired with the ability both to put defenders on skates and then make the perfect final pass to tee up a striker.

Pace: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)

Sane took some time to acclimate to life in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola, but once he did, there was no stopping the 21-year-old speed demon. The German, whose upright running style mirrors that of Cristiano Ronaldo, is a sight to behold when he gets his legs pumping in fifth gear. Raw pace like Sane’s can’t be taught.

Power: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

When his troublesome calves aren’t keeping him on the shelf, Welsh powerhouse Bale is the epitome of a modern winger; fast, technically excellent, and boasting a rocket of a left foot when he cuts in from the right side, his greatest quality is arguably his physicality. Real Madrid’s top-knotted No. 11 is built like a superhero, his combination of lower-body strength and broad shoulders making him a handful against (typically) smaller full-backs both in the air and on the ground.

Dribbling: Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund)

Dembele’s shot-fake is a work of art. The French international, 20, can beat opposing defenders in his sleep, gliding past them with ease thanks to his superlative ball control, quick burst of speed, and ability to use both feet. Just ask John Stones, whom Dembele sent back to the Stone Age with this move in a recent friendly. Borussia Dortmund’s young winger is one of the most prolific dribblers in European football, completing 4.5 take-ons per 90 minutes last season; among players who made at least 20 appearances, that total was good enough for fourth across Europe’s top five leagues.

Flair: Neymar (Barcelona)

Wingers are supposed to be fun. Theirs is the only position on the pitch where there’s enough space to line up your prey and pull off some electrifying bit of skill that puts them on a poster and gets the crowd oohing. Nobody does this better than Neymar. He’s the most disrespectful player in the game (this is a compliment) because he’s willing to try things that are more commonly found in FIFA Street. His incredible Santos highlight reel was basically a crash course in how to humiliate defenders, and while the 25-year-old doesn’t toy with the opposition in the same way anymore, he still has more fun than anybody else in the game when he laces up his boots.

Shooting: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

Robben’s tombstone will read as follows: “He dribbles down the right wing. He cuts inside onto his left foot. He curls home a gorgeous effort to the far post. Rinse. Repeat.” Everybody knows that sweet left-footed effort is coming, and nobody can do a damn thing about it.

Work rate: Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain)

That Di Maria is often saddled with the “Premier League bust” label stemming from his brief spell at Manchester United is a shame, seeing as how the lithe Argentine is one of the world’s best wingers; history will likely be kind to him, as people will realize how unfortunate he was to arrive at Old Trafford during a time of disarray for the club. The 29-year-old is an uber-versatile footballer who doesn’t get enough credit for his willingness to put in the lung-busting, dirty defensive work that has been a hallmark of his game going back to his Real Madrid days.

Final pass: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

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Salah is going to light up Anfield this season. The speedy Egyptian winger, who racked up 17 Serie A assists for Roma over the last two seasons, has developed into one of the most consistently devastating wingers throughout Europe, pairing an ability to finish moves himself with a penchant for setting up teammates – it’s no coincidence Edin Dzeko enjoyed the best scoring season of his career last year. Salah’s 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes was among Europe’s best marks for wingers, and that number should have Reds fans salivating heading into the new campaign.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images unless otherwise stated)